Month: July 2022

Jamie Arrowsmith – 28th July 2022 – 9.30am.

The athletes are ready, the venues are ready and West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) is ready for the Commonwealth Games.

The service began planning for the summer of sport almost as soon as it was announced that Birmingham was to be the host city back in December 2017, before a dedicated planning team was formed in March 2021.

Approximately 800 members of WMAS staff and more than 20 volunteer Community First Responders will be involved in covering the Games, over 1,664 operational shifts and 23,000 hours of resourcing. That will be done utilising 60 ambulances, 27 rapid response vehicles and ten 4×4 ambulances.

The Trust’s entire Commonwealth Games operation will be run out of the newly built Oldbury Hub. The 7,725 square metre building is the biggest hub in WMAS’ portfolio and was completed in the middle of July.

WMAS Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for the West Midlands as we look forward to some fantastic sporting action and welcoming millions of visitors from all over the world to our region.

“We are as well prepared as we can possibly be to respond if and when required, but obviously hope we won’t be needed. My thanks go to all of the staff who have got us to this point and those who will be covering the Games, helping to make them the very best they can be.”

Head of Emergency Planning and Commonwealth Games, James Williams, added: “We will have ambulance crews and commanders at every session and every venue, helping to play our part in keeping the athletes, officials and spectators safe throughout what we hope will be a thoroughly enjoyable time for everyone.

“An enormous amount of hard work has been undertaken by staff right across the organisation to get us to this point, and I thank everyone for their hard work and commitment in making sure we are ready on time, it really wouldn’t have been possible without the buy-in of every directorate and individual who has contributed.

“Whilst the hard work will continue throughout the coming days as the Games take place, I hope all staff are able to find some time to enjoy the competition as well.”

Emergency Services Operations Delivery Director, Nathan Hudson, said: “After an incredibly challenging few years with the pandemic and operational pressures, this is a great opportunity for staff to do something a little bit different, and play a key role in supporting this fantastic celebration of sport.

“We have successfully managed to bring forward the arrival of 60 new ambulances and all staff covering Commonwealth Games shifts are doing so on overtime, so there will be no impact on the normal day to day running of West Midlands Ambulance Service.”

For all of the latest WMAS news and images from the Commonwealth Games, you can visit our dedicated webpage at www.wmas.nhs.uk/birmingham-2022/

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Notes to Editors:

WMAS has received funding for its operational response to the Commonwealth Games from the Organising Committee. Therefore, the Trust’s annual budget to provide a 999 service to the West Midlands, has not been impacted in any way.

Jamie Arrowsmith – 26th July 2022 – 2.30pm.

One of West Midlands Ambulance Service’s control room staff is getting set for her work to be seen by millions of people on Thursday night after helping to make the costumes for the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games.

Sophie Potter, a dispatcher who works in the Emergency Operations Centre, is used to sending ambulances to 999 calls all across the West Midlands, but after volunteering to help at the Commonwealth Games, her work is about to be seen across the world during both the opening and closing ceremonies.

Sophie took up sewing during the first Covid-19 lockdown when volunteering to make fabric face masks and it quickly became a way for her to unwind out of work, making clothes for herself and family members.

So when Sophie saw the advert for costume volunteers and the fact no previous experience was necessary, she decided to give it a go.

She said: “I was thrilled to be accepted and since February I have been attending two costume shifts per week on my days off and will be present backstage throughout both ceremonies to help dress all of the performers and make any last-minute adjustments.

“My confidence has grown so much throughout the project, particularly because I have been allowed to take on tasks independently which has been nice to have that level of trust shown in me.

“As well as learning how to use industrial sewing machines and overlockers to make hats, my proudest achievement in the workshop so far has been helping one of the mentors draft and sew a ‘master’ trench coat which several performers and stewards will wear and our master copy was sent off to a factory to be recreated en masse.”

Whilst Sophie is thrilled to have taken part in the project, she also said that it has not been without its challenges.

“The hardest part has been keeping everything a secret. Every day I go into the workshop I see incredible feats of artistry and craftmanship from professional sewists and I really cannot wait for the world to see what all of the volunteers have achieved when both ceremonies take place.

“This opportunity has been an amazing creative outlet for me and given me an enormous sense of achievement and pride. I will be sad when the project is over but will definitely look for other opportunities to keep sewing.”

Sophie’s work at the Commonwealth Games will not be limited to the opening and closing ceremonies as she has also volunteered to be an athlete driver throughout the event, which involves driving athlete between the athlete’s village and games venues.

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Claire Brown – Monday 25^th July 2022 – 10.45am.

A cyclist has sustained potentially serious injuries following a collision with a refuse lorry this morning in Nuneaton.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to the junction of Cedar Road and Lime Grove, Nuneaton at 8.51am today (Monday). Two ambulances, a paramedic officer and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance with a doctor and paramedic on board attended the scene.

“A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “The cyclist, a man, had reportedly collided with the refuse lorry. Ambulance crews assessed the man and found he had sustained potentially serious injuries. He was given treatment on scene before being conveyed by land ambulance on blue lights to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire for further emergency care; the air ambulance medics travelled with the ambulance crew to provide further treatment and monitoring to the patient.”

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Shaunna Farley – Monday 25^th July – 09.00am.

West Midlands Ambulance Service is encouraging the public to download the free what3words app, to help us find you in an emergency.

From Monday 25th July – Sunday 31st July, it will be #KnowExactlyWhere week, a summer safety campaign to raise awareness of the free app and how you can use it in an emergency.

The Trust now regularly gets calls from members of the public, particularly when they are in rural locations, who provide us with the three words which allows us to pinpoint the exact location of the casualty, fast.  

What3words has divided the world into a grid of 3 metre squares and given each square a unique identifier made of three random words – a what3words address, which can save vital time in an emergency.

‘What’s the address of the emergency?’ is one of the first four questions you are asked when calling 999 but describing exactly where emergency services should go can be challenging.   Although our call handlers are trained to gather as much location information as possible from callers, using What3Words makes that much easier.

Integrated Emergency Urgent Care & Performance Director, Jeremy Brown, said: “Emergencies can happen anywhere, from a remote hillside in the Staffordshire Moorlands to the side of the M6 motorway, or the middle of Coventry City Centre.   If we are able to get accurate location details from the caller quickly, it reduces the amount of time that it takes for our ambulances to get to the patient which could make a real difference to the outcome.

“We will continue to take map grid references, eastings and northings, GPS plots, postcodes and road names as alternatives. 

“It is also important to remember that this technology doesn’t replace the traditional ‘must-pack’ outdoor safety gear for hikes, camping trips, and other outdoor adventures; the app just makes finding you much easier if things do go wrong.”

The app is free to download for both iOS and Android and works offline – making it ideal for use in areas with an unreliable data connection, such as beaches, national parks and campsites.  What3words can also be used via the online map at what3words.com. The app is available in 51 languages, and can be used anywhere in the world.

For more information visit www.knowexactlywhere.com

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Claire Brown – Monday 25^th July 2022 – 8.40am.

A man required advanced trauma care by the ambulance service before being taken to hospital after being involved in a single car road traffic collision in Walsall in the early hours of today.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called at 3.48am this morning (Monday) to the junction of Upper Rushall Street and Town Hall, Walsall. Two paramedic officers, an ambulance crew and a MERIT trauma doctor and critical care paramedic attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “When ambulance staff arrived on scene they found a car which had left the road and collided with a fence. The driver, a man, was out of the vehicle and in a ditch. The team of ambulance staff assessed the man and found he had sustained serious injuries and was in a critical condition. They commenced advanced trauma care whilst working closely with fire colleagues to extricate the man rapidly from the ditch.

“Once stabilised, the man was conveyed on blue lights to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for further emergency care.”

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Murray MacGregor – Wednesday 20^th July 2022 – 6.30pm.

West Midlands Ambulance Service is to hand back the 111 contract it provides for the majority of the West Midlands to commissioners.  The Trust has taken the difficult decision as the service develops nationally and becomes an even more important part of the NHS.

Part of this development will involve a move towards closer working between the NHS111 service across the East and West Midlands integrating the two areas into a single shared model, which mirrors the increasing collaboration across some other regions in England.

NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), after a competitive process, have awarded the contract to DHU Healthcare, initially covering an 18-month period.  DHU already operate the East Midlands contract, are rated ‘Outstanding’ by the CQC and are a not for profit, social enterprise and community interest company.

West Midlands Ambulance Service Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, said: “As the focus of our emergency and urgent service is based on the West Midlands only, and the move in 111 is to move to a regional basis, it makes sense to step back and allow a new 111 provider to take the service to the next level. 

“What is important is that patients will not see any change in the way they access NHS111 across the East and West Midlands.

“As a Trust we will also be able to concentrate on making the improvements necessary to improve our 999 service.  As such, we feel a new 111 provider will be able to embed the changes in telephony that are set to be introduced which will allow the 111 service to develop further.

Mr Mark Axcell, CEO Black Country ICB: “The 111 service is a hugely important part of the NHS and is constantly being developed and enhanced so that it can help more people.  We were notified by West Midlands Ambulance Service of their intention to step away from the current contract and we are now mobilising plans with a new provider DHU Healthcare to step into this contract. 

“We are confident that the new provider will be in place ahead of the winter period and that they will work with WMAS to ensure a smooth transition. Those using the NHS 111 service in the West Midlands will continue to be able to access the service as usual.” 

Stephen Bateman, Chief Executive at DHU comments: “Our 111 service has a well-deserved outstanding rating from the Care Quality Commission, and we look forward to a close partnership with West Midlands Ambulance Service to transition this contract.  Our intention is to build on the exceptional service they have grown over the last three years, and to support the staff who join us.  We know they deliver compassionate, high-quality patient care and we welcome the knowledge, skills and experience they will bring to our DHU family.”

Mr Marsh added: “This change should not be seen as any reflection on our staff who continue to work incredibly hard to provide the highest quality patient care – our service is one of the highest performing in the country.  The team help thousands of people every day and they should all be immensely proud of what they have achieved.

“We understand this change will be an unsettling time for staff so we will be working with individuals and their representatives as further information becomes available about how DHU will run the contract.  We will work with them and Commissioners to minimise disruption for staff and patients alike.”

WMAS Integrated Emergency, Urgent Care and Performance Director, Jeremy Brown said: “Our 111 staff have played a hugely important role in the way the NHS responded to COVID over the last two years.

““The team answered around 2.5 million calls providing access to healthcare 24 hours a day.  I am enormously proud of the whole team and the way you have, without doubt, helped patients in all of our local communities.”

Notes to Editors

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Jordan Eggington – Wednesday 20th July 2022 – 2:30pm.

A man has sadly died following a road traffic collision in Herefordshire this morning.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to reports of a collision involving a refuse lorry and a motorcyclist on the A44 in Bredenbury, Herefordshire at 10.04am (Wednesday). Two ambulances, a paramedic officer, a BASICS emergency doctor and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Strensham with a paramedic and doctor on board attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “When ambulance staff arrived, they found the motorcyclist, a man, being given CPR by an off duty doctor and police colleagues. The man was in a critical condition and ambulance staff commenced advanced life support on scene. Sadly, despite the best efforts of everyone, nothing could be done to save the man and he was confirmed deceased on scene a short time later.”

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Claire Brown – Tuesday 19^th July 2022 – 11.25am.

Ambulance crews and an air ambulance responded to a road traffic collision on the M6 in Coventry this morning where one man was seriously injured.

West Midlands Ambulance Service received several 999 calls reporting an overturned car on the M6, Junctions 3a – 3, Corley, Coventry at 9.06am today (Tuesday). Two paramedic officers, an ambulance crew and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance with a doctor and paramedic on board responded to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Crews arrived to find bystanders and an off-duty paramedic caring for the driver of a car which had overturned on the carriageway. The driver, a man, was assessed by ambulance staff and found to have sustained serious injuries. He was extricated from the car with help from fire colleagues and received trauma care on scene by the team of medics. Once stabilised, the man was conveyed by land ambulance on blue lights to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire for further emergency care.”

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Jordan Eggington – Monday 18^th July 2022 – 10.45am.

A man has sadly died after a single vehicle RTC in Birmingham last night.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called at 10:37pm to reports of the collision involving a car and railings on Belgrave Middleway in the city. Four ambulances, two paramedic officers, a MERIT trauma doctor and critical care paramedic, and the Midlands Air Ambulance critical care car attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Crews arrived at the scene to find multiple patients involved in the collision, with one man having suffered life-threatening injuries.

“Staff worked quickly to administer advanced trauma care to the patient, before conveying him on blue lights and sirens to the Major Trauma Centre at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital. However, despite everyone’s best efforts, the man sadly passed away in hospital this morning.

“Four other patients involved in the incident were treated for injuries not believed to be serious and were conveyed to Sandwell Hospital for further treatment.”

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Murray MacGregor – Friday 15^th July – 2pm.

With the Met Office issuing a ‘Red Warning’ for extreme heat on Monday and Tuesday, ambulance bosses are urging the public not to ignore it and make sure they don’t end up becoming a patient.

The Trust has already seen a rise in the number of heat related calls to both the 999 and 111 services with calls about sunburn, heat stroke, BBQ burns, dehydration, breathing difficulties and from people enjoying the outdoors who are ill prepared.

It is vital that people do take on board the warning so that preventable situations don’t end up resulting in people needing to access help from the NHS.

Emergency Services Operations Delivery Director, Nathan Hudson, said: “Almost everyone enjoys a sunny day, but the difference this time is that temperatures have the potential to reach levels never before seen in the West Midlands.

“Heat can cause some very serious health implications if we don’t treat it with respect, particularly for the very young and elderly, but it can affect people of all ages.

“Dehydration is one of the biggest risks – it happens when you lose more fluid than you take in.  We all need to drink enough when it’s hot; water and fruit juices are much better than alcohol, which is a diuretic and will speed up dehydration.

“We already see lots of cases of dehydration in the elderly and the heat will make that worse.  Dehydration can lead to breathing problems, confusion, headaches, fatigue, dizziness and may result in patients becoming unsteady on their feet and as a result end up falling which can result in other serious injuries.  It can also lead on to heat stroke and a period of being unconscious.

“Dark yellow or strong smelling wee is a good warning sign that you are dehydrated, and you need to act immediately to rehydrate.

“Clearly lots of people want to spend time in our wonderful countryside.  If you are going outdoors, please be aware that the sun is at its strongest between 11.00am and 3.00pm.  You will need to be prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear, preferably a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water.  More positively we have seen a rise in the number of people using What3Words which is helping us to identify where patients who have got into difficulty, are.

It is important to remember that the temperatures given out are measured in the shade, so can be higher still in direct sunlight.  If people are out in the sun with no protection, they can get into difficulty quite quickly.  We do have cases where people have called us because they have got sunburnt and in extreme cases actually have really nasty burns, which are not only uncomfortable at the time but can result in long term skin damage with the resultant risk from skin cancer too.

“Our main message is enjoy the weather, but do it safely.”

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Shaunna Farley – Thursday 14th July – 09.00am.

A new publicly accessible defibrillator has been installed in Brierley Hill High Street, marking a year since a local duo saved a life in the town with bystander CPR.

The defibrillator and lockable cabinet have been installed in the town’s high street near the entrance to the market – just over the road from the Moor Centre where local butcher, Gordon Tranter and a passing by Student Nurse, Olivia Hanson, gave CPR to a shopper last year.

The life-saving equipment has been installed thanks to support from Community Response Manager, Andy Jeynes for donating the equipment, organised by local Councillor Adam Davies, local business Alan Warwick Butchers who donated the cabinet and carry case, and members of the public who gave donations at a CPR training session last October, which will go towards spare batteries.

In a cardiac arrest it is vital CPR is commenced and a defibrillator used to try and restart the heart, as every minute that passes by the chances of survival decrease by 10%. Having access to more defibrillators within the community can help save more lives.

Community Response Manager, Andy Jeynes said: “Gordon is surely an inspiration to us all.

“It is great to see the Defibrillator in Brierley Hill and hopefully, it will never be needed however if it saves just one life then all the hard work has been worth it.

“I would like to say a huge thank-you to Councillor Adam Davies for his determination and commitment in getting the support from local business’s to help with this life saving local project”

Local councillor, Adam Davies, said:  “It’s so fitting that we’re able to mark 12 months since Gordon and Olivia’s heroics with this new easily accessible defibrillator right in the heart of the town.

“I have to give a really big thank you to Andy from the ambulance service, Tony from Alan Warwick Butchers, Aaron from Approved Electrical Midlands, and the members of the public who donated at our training session last October. Without all of their support, this just wouldn’t have been possible”.

The defibrillator is registered on the national defibrillator network known as The Circuit, meaning anyone needing to access the cabinet just needs to call 999 and an operator will provide the access code.”

Gordon Tranter, the local butcher who helped save the life last June, said, “There wasn’t a defibrillator in the town last June so me and Olivia just had to do our best with CPR and hope it was enough. Thankfully it was enough on that day and the lady survived, but we know having a defibrillator will give anyone in the same situation in the future an even better chance.

“Obviously the defibrillator won’t work alone, it stills needs someone to step forward and use it. I’d encourage anyone to just try, you could help save someone’s life. I’ll never forget that day for as long as I live.”

If you, or somebody you know is a defibrillator guardian, then we urge you to register your device on The Circuit. You could help save a life. Visit TheCircuit.UK for more information or to register your defibrillator.  

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Pictured from left to right is Andy Jeynes, Gordon Tranter, Adam Davies and Jason Keen.

Jamie Arrowsmith – Tuesday 12th July 2022 – 8am

Borussia Dortmund and Birmingham City footballers Jude and Jobe Bellingham have made an incredibly generous and potentially lifesaving donation to fund three Community Public Access Defibrillators which will be installed outside three schools in Birmingham.

The donation was received by Community First Responder (CFR) charity, Fastaid, and in partnership with Jude, Jobe and West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS), the defibrillators will be gifted to the schools.

In a cardiac arrest it is vital CPR is commenced and a defibrillator used to try and restart the heart, as every minute that passes by the chances of survival decrease by 10%. Having access to more defibrillators within the community can help save more lives.

WMAS Community Response Manager, Tim Cronin, said: “This is an incredible gesture from Jude and Jobe, one that will help save lives in the communities that the defibrillators are placed. The effect of good CPR and early defibrillation can never be underestimated.

“The world watched as footballer Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during Euro 2020, but through the quick actions of CPR and the use of a defibrillator, he is alive today and still playing football at the highest level.”

The donated defibrillators will serve both the school and the surrounding community and once installed, they will be registered on the Circuit – the national defibrillator network. When a member of the public calls 999 the ambulance call taker will be able to inform the member of the public of the closest defibrillator to the emergency.

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Fastaid CFR Terry Flower and WMAS Community Response Manager Tim Cronin met with Jude and Jobe Bellingham at WMAS’ Hollymoor Hub after receiving the donation.

Shaunna Farley – Monday 11th July – 11.15am.

A man has sadly died following a road traffic collision in Stoke on Trent in the early hours of Sunday morning.  

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to a collision involving a motorbike on King Street, Stoke on Trent at 04.16am on Sunday. Two ambulances, a paramedic officer and a BASICS emergency doctor attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “When ambulance staff arrived they found the motorcyclist. The man was in a critical condition and the team of ambulance staff worked quickly to commence advanced life support.

“Sadly, despite the best efforts, nothing could be done to save the man and he was confirmed deaceased on scene.”

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Shaunna Farley – Monday 11th July – 08.55am.

A woman has died following a two-car collision in Newton yesterday.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to Bridgenorth Road, Newton, Much Wenlock at 2.15pm on Sunday and sent three ambulances, two paramedic officers, the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Strensham to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Crews arrived to find two cars that had been involved in a collision and four patients in total.

“The driver of the first car had suffered serious injuries in the incident and she received advanced life support at the scene. Despite the best efforts of ambulance staff, it unfortunately became clear that nothing more could be done to save her and she was confirmed deceased.

“A man and two boys who were the driver of and passengers in the second car, were treated for injuries believed to be minor before being taken to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital by land ambulances.”

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Murray MacGregor – Monday 11^th July 2022 – 8.00am.

In the ambulance service, we know just how important blood can be.  Our staff deal with patients who have lost lots of it; our enhanced care teams carry it with them; and we often put calls into major trauma centres asking for blood to be ready for a patient we are taking in.

Last month NHS Blood & Transplant said that they needed one million new donors over the next five years, with a particular need for Black African, Black Caribbean and younger donors to come forward.

Well that’s exactly what staff in our control rooms did last week.  On Tuesday, NHS Blood and Transplant spent the day in Brierley Hill at one of our three call centres

The team were at Navigation Point to provide staff with an opportunity to discover what their blood type is by doing a finger prick test, as well having any questions answered about being a blood donor.  In total 43 staff registered as donors with 13 making an appointment to donate. 

The session was organised by Head of Human Resources, Lucy Mackcracken who is herself a regular donor: “For me giving blood was always something that I had been interested in doing but never really got round to.  I often put off finding out if I could give at certain times such as when pregnant or breastfeeding. 

“I think lots of people have similar questions about if they can give and what the exclusions are so an event like this was really useful to give people the facts.

“Once I had donated for the first time I found it a really easy process to use the NHS Blood and Transplant app to find and book the next appointment.” 

Head of 111 Operations, Rob Till, said: “I was delighted that so many staff were interested in donating blood and took the time out of their day to find out more information.

“When people think about ambulance staff, they often only think of the paramedics and technicians on the road, but the team in our control rooms – call takers, dispatchers and clinicians play a vital role in ensuring patients have access to blood at the scene of an incident or arrange for blood to be ready at a hospital; they also know just how important a pint of the red stuff can be for patients.

“Control room staff already regularly save lives over the phone through the likes of talking people through CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation) and this is just another way that they can save lives.”

Trust Medical Director, Dr Alison Walker, who regularly responds to serious incidents as well as being an Emergency Medicine Consultant added: “I know at first hand the difference blood can make to my patients.

“If we don’t have enough blood, many operations can’t take place; people who live with conditions such as anaemia, cancer and blood disorders wouldn’t get the life saving treatment they need.  It’s why so many of our team do already give blood, like Lucy, Rob and I do.

“I’m delighted that so many staff within our control room took the opportunity to register as donors and I hope everyone will consider doing the same as it truly is a gift of life.”

What happens to a blood donation

Blood donation generally takes up to an hour and you will be doing something amazing. Once donated, blood is taken to NHSBT laboratories where it is divided into:

• Platelets: Platelets help to stop bleeding and can be donated directly. Donors with A negative, A positive or AB negative blood are mostly needed. 69 per cent treat people with cancer, 17 per cent helps people after surgery, 8 per cent treat diseases, and 6 per cent help adults and babies in intensive care.
• Red cells: two thirds are used to treat a vast range of conditions including sickle cell, anaemia, cancer and blood other disorders. One third is used in surgery and emergencies including childbirth.
• Plasma: 17,000 people are treated with medicine made from plasma. Plasma can be used to stop blood loss in trauma patients and is also made into a medicine for people with weak immune systems. People can also donate plasma directly.

You can find out more about what it’s like to give blood for the first time at: https://www.blood.co.uk/the-donation-process/giving-blood-for-the-first-time/

For more information or to book an appointment to give blood, either download the app, go to www.blood.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23.

Pic 1: Mandy Jones Integrated Emergency and Urgent Care Tutor Mandy Jones gets a finger prick test from Priya from NHS Blood and Transplant.

Pic 2: Lucy Butler giving blood

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Jordan Eggington – Friday 8^th July 2022 – 10.00am.

Today marks the first ever ‘International Paramedics Day’, to recognise and celebrate the work carried out by paramedics and first responders around the world.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline responders have put the wellbeing and interests of others first, working tirelessly in the most challenging of circumstances and often at great risk to themselves. Now, for the first time, the 8th July is being dedicated to the world’s paramedics.

This date is the anniversary of the birth of Dominique-Jean Larrey, the man often referred to as the ‘father of modern-day ambulance services’. International Paramedics Day has been created, organised and run by the College of Paramedics in the UK, with support from professional paramedics’ organisations from around the world.

West Midlands Ambulance Service Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, recorded a special video message to mark the occasion, and said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the enormous contribution that paramedics make to our healthcare system in the various roles they undertake, whether it be on the frontline, in our control rooms, our Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART), as critical care paramedics, Specialist Operational Response Team (SORT) paramedics, or our next generation of paramedics who are undergoing their training.

“All of you do a great job every day, often in very difficult and challenging circumstances. But it’s not just about the paramedics, it’s also about the whole ambulance workforce including our technicians, ECAs and student paramedics.

“When I think of the enormous progress the paramedic profession has made since I underwent my training 30 odd years ago, it’s fantastic. You should be rightly proud of the skills that you are all able to perform now to such a high standard, saving lives that were previously lost.

“Please enjoy and be proud of this International Paramedic Day – it is rightly deserved. I am enormously proud of all of you and please be assured of my continued support.”

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Claire Brown – Friday 8^th July 2022 – 8.45am.

A man and a woman have been seriously injured following a single vehicle RTC in Solihull early this morning.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to the canal bridge on Bakers Lane, Knowle, Solihull at 0.43am today (Friday). Two ambulances, a paramedic officer, a critical care paramedic and a doctor and critical care paramedic from the Air Ambulance Service attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Crews arrived to find a car which had left the road and was in a field down an embankment. The two occupants, a man and a woman, were assessed and found with serious injuries.

“Both patients were assisted out of the vehicle with help from fire colleagues, under the guidance of ambulance staff. The man and the woman received trauma care from the team of medics on scene before both were conveyed by land ambulance on blue lights to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for further emergency care.

“A third occupant had reportedly left the scene prior to the arrival of the emergency services.”

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Shaunna Farley – Thursday 7th July – 3.45pm.

One person has died following a shooting in Birmingham in the early hours of this morning.

Two ambulance crews at Heartlands Hospital were alerted to two men who had self presented at the hospital at 0.31am after reportedly being involved in a shooting nearby. Two paramedic officers, a MERIT trauma doctor and critical care paramedic were responded to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “On arrival we found two men.

“The first man was found with life threatening injuries and received advanced life support by ambulance staff. Despite their best efforts, nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed deceased.”

“The second man, who had sustained less serious injuries, was assessed and treated by ambulance staff before receiving further checks in hospital.”

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Jamie Arrowsmith – Tuesday 5^th July 2022 – 12pm.

A man who had to be cut free from his car has been airlifted to hospital following a collision with a lorry last night.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to the A5, Watling Street in Weston-under-Lizard and sent two ambulances, a paramedic officer, the Midlands Air Ambulance Critical Care Car and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “Crews arrived to find a man trapped in his car and a lorry that had left the carriageway, coming to rest in a field.

“Ambulance staff worked alongside colleagues from the fire service to carefully cut the man free from his car, assessing and monitoring his condition throughout.

“He was treated for serious injuries before being airlifted to Royal Stoke University Hospital.

“The driver of the lorry, a man, was assessed and discharged at the scene.”

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